The Diamond Model of Intrusion Analysis is made up of four parts, as shown in the figure. The model represents a security incident or event. In the Diamond Model, an event is a time-bound activity that is restricted to a specific step in which an adversary uses a capability over infrastructure to attack a victim to achieve a specific result. The four core features of an intrusion event are adversary, capability, infrastructure, and victim:
Adversary – These are the parties responsible for the intrusion.
Capability – This is a tool or technique that the adversary uses to attack the victim.
Infrastructure – This is the network path or paths that the adversaries use to establish and maintain command and control over their capabilities.
Victim – This is the target of the attack. However, a victim might be the target initially and then used as part of the infrastructure to launch other attacks.
The adversary uses capabilities over infrastructure to attack the victim. The model can be interpreted as saying, “The adversary uses the infrastructure to connect to the victim. The adversary develops a capability to exploit the victim.” For example, a capability like malware might be used over the email infrastructure by an adversary to exploit a victim.
Meta-features expand the model slightly to include the following important elements:
Timestamp – This indicates the start and stop time of an event and is an integral part of grouping malicious activity.
Phase – This is analogous to steps in the Cyber Kill Chain; malicious activity includes two or more steps executed in succession to achieve the desired result.
Result – This delineates what the adversary gained from the event. Results can be documented as one or more of the following: confidentiality compromised, integrity compromised, and availability compromised.
Direction – This indicates the direction of the event across the Diamond Model. These include Adversary-to-Infrastructure, Infrastructure-to-Victim, Victim-to-Infrastructure, and Infrastructure-to-Adversary.
Methodology – This is used to classify the general type of event, such as port scan, phishing, content delivery attack, syn flood, etc.
Resources – These are one or more external resources used by the adversary for the intrusion event, such as software, adversary’s knowledge, information (e.g., username/passwords), and assets to carry out the attack (hardware, funds, facilities, network access).
The figure depicts the Diamond Model as a line drawn diamond. The core features of an intrusion event are located at each of the corners of the diamond. An adversary is placed on the top, infrastructure is on the left, the victim is on the bottom, and capability is on the right. There are arrows pointing away from the word adversary at the top to the words infrastructure and capability on the sides, and then arrows pointing from infrastructure and capability to the word victim on the bottom.
The arrows are used to describe the interaction between the core features. The adversary uses the infrastructure to connect to the victim, and the adversary develops a capability to exploit the victim. Within the diamond is an arrow connecting the adversary and victim and an arrow connecting infrastructure and capability. In the top left of the image is a text list of the Meta-Features; Timestamp, Phase, Result, Direction, Methodology, and Resources.
The Diamond Model
Pivoting Across the Diamond Model
As a cybersecurity analyst, you may be called on to use the Diamond Model of Intrusion Analysis to diagram a series of intrusion events. The Diamond Model is ideal for illustrating how the adversary pivots from one event to the next.
For example, in the figure, an employee reports that his computer is acting abnormally. A host scan by the security technician indicates that the computer is infected with malware. An analysis of the malware reveals that the malware contains a list of CnC domain names. These domain names resolve to a list of IP addresses. These IP addresses are then used to identify the adversary, as well as investigate logs to determine if other victims in the organization are using the CnC channel.
The figure depicts the Diamond Model’s Characterization of an exploit. The diamond with the core features is shown, and there are numbered steps with arrows connecting the various core features. Step one connects the victim to the capability, and has the note Victim discovers malware. Step 2 connects the capability and infrastructure, and has the note Malware contains CnC domain. Step 3 has an arrow arched out from infrastructure to the note CnC Domain resolves to CnC IP address. Step 4 connects infrastructure to a victim with the note Firewall logs reveal further victims contacting CnC IP address. Step 5 connects infrastructure to an adversary, with the note IP address ownership details reveal adversary
Diamond Model Characterization of an Exploit
The Diamond Model and the Cyber Kill Chain
Adversaries do not operate in just a single event. Instead, events are threaded together in a chain in which each event must be successfully completed before the next event. This thread of events can be mapped to the Cyber Kill Chain previously discussed in the chapter.
The following example, shown in the figure, illustrates the end-to-end process of an adversary as they vertically traverse the Cyber Kill Chain, use a compromised host to horizontally pivot to another victim, and then begin another activity
thread:1. Adversary conducts a web search for victim company Gadgets, Inc. receiving as part of the results the domain name gadgets.com.
2. Adversary uses the newly discovered domain gadets.com for a new search “network administrator gadget.com” and discovers forum postings from users claiming to be network administrators of gadget.com. The user profiles reveal their email addresses.
3. Adversary sends phishing emails with a Trojan horse attached to the network administrators of gadget.com.
4. One network administrator (NA1) of gadget.com opens the malicious attachment. This executes the enclosed exploit allowing for further code execution.
5. NA1’s compromised host sends an HTTP Post message to an IP address, registering it with a CnC controller. NA1’s compromised host receives an HTTP Response in return.
6. It is revealed from reverse engineering that the malware has additional IP addresses configured which act as a back-up if the first controller does not respond.
7. Through a CnC HTTP response message sent to NA1’s host, the malware begins to act as a web proxy for new TCP connections.
8. Through information from the proxy that is running on NA1’s host, Adversary does a web search for “most important research ever” and finds Victim 2, Interesting Research Inc.
9. Adversary checks NA1’s email contact list for any contacts from Interesting Research Inc. and discovers the contact for the Interesting Research Inc. Chief Research Officer.
10. Chief Research Officer of Interesting Research Inc. receives a spear-phish email from Gadget Inc.’s NA1’s email address sent from NA1’s host with the same payload as observed in Event 3.
The adversary now has two compromised victims from which additional attacks can be launched. For example, the adversary could mine the Chief Research Officer’s email contacts for the additional potential victims. The adversary might also set up another proxy to exfiltrate all of the Chief Research Officer’s files.
Note: This example is a modification of the U.S. Department of Defense’s example in the publication “The Diamond Model of Intrusion Analysis”.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained includes staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNAIJA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
Incident Response involves the methods, policies, and procedures that are used by an organization to respond to a cyber attack. The aims of incident response are to limit the impact of the attack, assess the damage caused, and implement recovery procedures.
Because of the potential large-scale loss of property and revenue that can be caused by cyber-attacks, it is essential that organizations create and maintain detailed incident response plans and designate personnel who are responsible for executing all aspects of that plan. In this article, I want to talk about some of the ways to establish Incident Response Capability in cybersecurity.
The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recommendations for incident response are detailed in their Special Publication 800-61, revision 2 entitled “Computer Security Incident Handling Guide,”
Note: Although this chapter summarizes much of the content in the NIST 800-61r2 standard, you should be familiar with the entire publication as it covers four major exam topics for the Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals exam.
The NIST 800-61r2 standard provides guidelines for incident handling, particularly for analyzing incident-related data, and determining the appropriate response to each incident. The guidelines can be followed independently of particular hardware platforms, operating systems, protocols, or applications. The first step for an organization is to establish a computer security incident response capability (CSIRC). NIST recommends creating policies, plans, and procedures for establishing and maintaining a CSIRC.
PolicyElements An incident response policy details how incidents should be handled based on the organization’s mission, size, and function. The policy should be reviewed regularly to adjust it to meet the goals of the roadmap that has been laid out. Policy elements include the following:
Statement of management commitment
Purpose and objectives of the policy
Scope of the policy
Definition of computer security incidents and related terms
Organizational structure and definition of roles, responsibilities, and levels of authority
Prioritization of severity ratings of incidents
Performance measures
Reporting and contact forms
Plan Elements A good incident response plan helps to minimize damage caused by an incident. It also helps to make the overall incident response program better by adjusting it according to lessons learned. It will ensure that each party involved in the incident response has a clear understanding of not only what they will be doing, but what others will be doing as well. Plan elements are as follows:
Mission
Strategies and goals
Senior management approval
An organizational approach to incident response
How the incident response team will communicate with the rest of the organization and with other organizations
Metrics for measuring the incident response capacity
How the program fits into the overall organization
Procedure Elements
The procedures that are followed during an incident response should follow the incident response plan. Procedures elements are as follows:
Technical processes
Using techniques
Filling out forms,
Following checklists
These are typical standard operating procedures (SOPs). These SOPs should be detailed so that the mission and goals of the organization are in mind when these procedures are followed. SOPs minimize errors that may be caused by personnel that are under stress while participating in incident handling. It is important to share and practice these procedures, making sure that they are useful, accurate, and appropriate.
Incident Response Stakeholders
Other groups and individuals within the organization may also be involved with incident handling. It is important to ensure that they will cooperate before an incident is underway. Their expertise and abilities can help the Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) to handle the incident quickly and correctly. These are some of the stakeholders that may be involved in handing a security incident:
Management – Managers create the policies that everyone must follow. They also design the budget and are in charge of staffing all of the departments. Management must coordinate the incident response with other stakeholders and minimize the damage of an incident.
Information Assurance – This group may need to be called in to change things such as firewall rules during some stages of incident management such as containment or recovery.
IT Support – This is the group that works with the technology in the organization and understands it the most. Because IT support has a deeper understanding, it is more likely that they will perform the correct action to minimize the effectiveness of the attack or preserve evidence properly.
Legal Department – It is a best practice to have the legal department review the incident policies, plans, and procedures to make sure that they do not violate any local or federal guidelines. Also, if any incident has legal implications, a legal expert will need to become involved. This might include prosecution, evidence collection, or lawsuits.
Public Affairs and Media Relations – There are times when the media and the public might need to be informed of an incident, such as when their personal information has been compromised during an incident.
Human Resources – The human resources department might need to perform disciplinary measures if an incident caused by an employee occurs.
Business Continuity Planners – Security incidents may alter an organization’s business continuity. It is important that those in charge of business continuity planning are aware of security incidents and the impact they have had on the organization as a whole. This will allow them to make any changes in plans and risk assessments.
Physical Security and Facilities Management – When a security incident happens because of a physical attack, such as tailgating or shoulder surfing, these teams might need to be informed and involved. It is also their responsibility to secure facilities that contain evidence from an investigation.
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) framework was created to assess the ability of organizations that perform functions for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to protect the military supply chain from disruptions or losses due to cybersecurity incidents. Security breaches related to DoD information indicated that NIST standards were not sufficient to mitigate against the increasing and evolving threat landscape, especially from nation-state treat actors. In order for companies to receive contracts from the DoD, those companies must be certified. The certification consists of five levels, with different levels required depending on the degree of security required by the project.
The CMMC specifies 17 domains, each of which has a varying number of capabilities that are associated with it. The organization is rated by the maturity level that has been achieved for each of the domains. One of the domains concerns incident response. The capabilities that are associated with the incident response domain are as follows:
Plan incident response
Detect and report events
Develop and implement a response to a declared incident
Perform post-incident reviews
Test incident response
The CMMC certifies organizations by level. For most domains, there are five levels, however, for incident response, there are only four. The higher the level that is certified, the more mature the cybersecurity capability of the organization. A summary of the incidence response domain maturity levels is shown below.
Level 2 – Establish an incident response plan that follows the NIST process. Detect, report, and prioritize events. Respond to events by following predefined procedures. Analyze the cause of incidents in order to mitigate future issues.
Level 3 – Document and report incidents to stakeholders that have been identified in the incident response plan. Test the incident response capability of the organization.
Level 4 – Use knowledge of attacker tactics, techniques, and procedures (TPT) to refine incident response planning and execution. Establish a security operation center (SOC) that facilitates a 24/7 response capability.
Level 5 – Utilize accepted and systematic computer forensic data gathering techniques including the secure handling and storage of forensic data. Develop and utilize manual and automated real-time responses to potential incidents that follow known patterns.
NIST Incident Response Life Cycle
NIST defines four steps in the incident response process life cycle, as shown in the figure.
Preparation – The members of the CSIRT are trained in how to respond to an incident. CSIRT members should continual develop knowledge of emerging threats.
Detection and Analysis – Through continuous monitoring, the CSIRT quickly identifies, analyzes, and validates an incident.
Containment, Eradication, and Recovery – The CSIRT implements procedures to contain the threat, eradicate the impact on organizational assets, and use backups to restore data and software. This phase may cycle back to detection and analysis to gather more information, or to expand the scope of the investigation.
Post-Incident Activities – The CSIRT then documents how the incident was handled, recommends changes for future response, and specifies how to avoid a reoccurrence.
The incident response life cycle is meant to be a self-reinforcing learning process whereby each incident informs the process for handling future incidents. Each of these phases are discussed in more detail in this topic.
The image depicts the NIST incident response cycle, with arrows showing the normal workflow and feedback in an incident response.
Incident Response Life Cycle
Preparation
The preparation phase is when the CSIRT is created and trained. This phase is also when the tools and assets that will be needed by the team to investigate incidents are acquired and deployed. The following list has examples of actions that also take place during the preparation phase:
Organizational processes are created to address communication between people on the response team. This includes such things as contact information for stakeholders, other CSIRTs, and law enforcement, an issue tracking system, smartphones, encryption software, etc.
Facilities to host the response team and the SOC are created.
Necessary hardware and software for incident analysis and mitigation is acquired. This may include forensic software, spare computers, servers and network devices, backup devices, packet sniffers, and protocol analyzers.
Risk assessments are used to implement controls that will limit the number of incidents.
Validation of security hardware and software deployment is performed on end-user devices, servers, and network devices.
User security awareness training materials are developed.
Additional incident analysis resources might be required. Examples of these resources are a list of critical assets, network diagrams, port lists, hashes of critical files, and baseline readings of system and network activity. Mitigation software is also an important item when preparing to handle a security incident. An image of a clean OS and application installation files may be needed to recover a computer from an incident. Often, the CSIRT may have a jump kit prepared. This is a portable box with many of the items listed above to help in establishing a swift response. Some of these items may be a laptop with appropriate software installed, backup media, and any other hardware, software, or information to help in the investigation. It is important to inspect the jump kit on a regular basis to install updates and make sure that all the necessary elements are available and ready for use. It is helpful to practice deploying the jump kit with the CSIRT to ensure that the team members know how to use its contents properly.
The same boxes as the previous section are shown with the preparation box highlighted.
Preparation Phase
Detection and Analysis
The same boxes as the previous section are shown with the detection and analysis box highlighted.
Detection & Analysis Phase
Because there are so many different ways in which a security incident can occur, it is impossible to create instructions that completely cover each step to follow to handle them. Different types of incidents will require different responses.
Attack Vectors
Detection
Analysis
Scoping
Incident notification
An organization should be prepared to handle any incident but should focus on the most common types of incidents so that they can be dealt with swiftly. These are some of the more common types of attack vectors:
Web – Any attack that is initiated from a website or application hosted by a website.
Email – Any attack that is initiated from an email or email attachment.
Loss or Theft – Any equipment that is used by the organization such as a laptop, desktop, or smartphone can provide the required information for someone to initiate an attack.
Impersonation – When something or someone is replaced for the purpose of malicious intent.
Attrition – Any attack that uses brute force to attack devices, networks, or services.
Media – Any attack that is initiated from external storage or removable media.
Containment, Eradication, and Recovery
The same boxes as the previous section are shown with the containment, eradication, and recovery box highlighted.
Containment, Eradication, and Recovery Phase
After security incident has been detected and sufficient analysis has been performed to determine that the incident is valid, it must be contained in order to determine what to do about it. Strategies and procedures for incident containment need to be in place before an incident occurs and implemented before there is widespread damage.
For every type of incident, a containment strategy should be created and enforced. These are some conditions to determine the type of strategy to create for each incident type:
How long it will take to implement and complete a solution?
How much time and how many resources will be needed to implement the strategy?
What is the process to preserve evidence?
Can an attacker be redirected to a sandbox so that the CSIRT can safely document the attacker’s methodology?
What will be the impact to the availability of services?
What is the extent of damage to resources or assets?
How effective is the strategy?
During containment, additional damage may be incurred. For example, it is not always advisable to unplug the compromised host from the network. The malicious process could notice this disconnection to the CnC controller and trigger a data wipe or encryption on the target. This is where experience and expertise can help to contain an incident beyond the scope of the containment strategy.
Post-Incident Activities
The same boxes as the previous section are shown with the post-incident activity box highlighted.
Post-Incident Activity Phase
PreparationDetection & AnalysisContainment, Eradication, and RecoveryPost-Incident Activity
After incident response activities have eradicated the threats and the organization has begun to recover from the effects of the attack, it is important to take a step back and periodically meet with all of the parties involved to discuss the events that took place and the actions of all of the individuals while handling the incident. This will provide a platform to learn what was done right, what was done wrong, what could be changed, and what should be improved upon. Lessons-based hardening After a major incident has been handled, the organization should hold a “lessons learned” meeting to review the effectiveness of the incident handling process and identify necessary hardening needed for existing security controls and practices. Examples of good questions to answer during the meeting include the following:
Exactly what happened, and when?
How well did the staff and management perform while dealing with the incident?
Were the documented procedures followed? Were they adequate?
What information was needed sooner?
Were any steps or actions taken that might have inhibited the recovery?
What would the staff and management do differently the next time a similar incident occurs?
How could information sharing with other organizations be improved?
What corrective actions can prevent similar incidents in the future?
What precursors or indicators should be watched for in the future to detect similar incidents?
What additional tools or resources are needed to detect, analyze, and mitigate future incidents?
Incident Data Collection and Retention
By having ‘lessons learned’ meetings, the collected data can be used to determine the cost of an incident for budgeting reasons, as well as to determine the effectiveness of the CSIRT, and identify possible security weaknesses throughout the system. The collected data needs to be actionable. Only collect data that can be used to define and refine the incident handling process. A higher number of incidents handled can show that something in the incidence response methodology is not working properly and needs to be refined. It could also show incompetence in the CSIRT. A lower number of incidents might show that network and host security has been improved. It could also show a lack of incident detection. Separate incident counts for each type of incident may be more effective at showing strengths and weakness of the CSIRT and implemented security measures. These subcategories can help to target where a weakness resides, rather than whether there is a weakness at all. The time of each incident provides insight into the total amount of labor used and the total time of each phase of the incident response process. The time until the first response is also important, as well as how long it took to report the incident and escalate it beyond the organization, if necessary. It is important to perform an objective assessment of each Incident. The response to an incident that has been resolved can be analyzed to determine how effective it was. NIST Special Publication 800-61 provides the following examples of activates that are performed during an objective assessment of an incident:
Reviewing logs, forms, reports, and other incident documentation for adherence to established incident response policies and procedures.
Identifying which precursors and indicators of the incident were recorded to determine how effectively the incident was logged and identified.
Determining if the incident caused damage before it was detected.
Determining if the actual cause of the incident was identified, and identifying the vector of attack, the vulnerabilities exploited, and the characteristics of the targeted or victimized systems, networks, and applications.
Determining if the incident is a recurrence of a previous incident.
Calculating the estimated monetary damage from the incident (e.g., information and critical business processes negatively affected by the incident).
Measuring the difference between the initial impact assessment and the final impact assessment.
Identifying which measures, if any, could have prevented the incident.
Subjective assessment of each incident requires that incident response team members assess their own performance, as well as that of other team members and of the entire team. Another valuable source of input is the owner of a resource that was attacked, in order to determine if the owner thinks the incident was handled efficiently and if the outcome was satisfactory.
There should be a policy in place in each organization that outlines how long evidence of an incident is retained. Evidence is often retained for many months or many years after an incident has taken place. In some cases, compliance regulations may mandate the retention period. These are some of the determining factors for evidence retention:
Prosecution – When an attacker will be prosecuted because of a security incident, the evidence should be retained until after all legal actions have been completed. This may be several months or many years. In legal actions, no evidence should be overlooked or considered insignificant. An organization’s policy may state that any evidence surrounding an incident that has been involved with legal actions must never be deleted or destroyed.
Data Type – An organization may specify that specific types of data should be kept for a specific period of time. Items such as email or text may only need to be kept for 90 days. More important data such as that used in an incident response (that has not had legal action), may need to be kept for three years or more.
Cost – If there is a lot of hardware and storage media that needs to be stored for a long time, it can become costly. Remember also that as technology changes, functional devices that can use outdated hardware and storage media must be stored as well.
Reporting Requirements and Information Sharing
Governmental regulations should be consulted by the legal team to determine precisely the organization’s responsibility for reporting the incident. In addition, management will need to determine what additional communication is necessary with other stakeholders, such as customers, vendors, partners, etc. Beyond the legal requirements and stakeholder considerations, NIST recommends that an organization coordinate with organizations to share details for the incident. For example, the organization could log the incident in the VERIS community database. The critical recommendations from NIST for sharing information are as follows:
Plan incident coordination with external parties before incidents occur.
Consult with the legal department before initiating any coordination efforts.
Perform incident information sharing throughout the incident response life cycle.
Attempt to automate as much of the information sharing process as possible.
Balance the benefits of information sharing with the drawbacks of sharing sensitive information.
Share as much of the appropriate incident information as possible with other organizations.
With the Covid 19 pandemic ravaging the country, more and more businesses have had to shift online. While many businesses struggle to get their feet off the ground in the online sphere, organizations that help in IT training and obtaining ethical hacker certification have been around the block.
Whether you are getting your ethical hacker certification or an Azure certification, these online educational centres have you covered with all the prep material and concepts you need. Not a stranger to online learning; they have perfected their course material before teaching you.
8 Things To Know If You Want To Pass The CEH Examination
Given below are the top 8 things you need to know, which are also the tips that will help you clear the CEH examination successfully.
Practical Knowledge
Using real-world situations to help study will ensure you understand the concepts better. Thus, allowing you to grasp them more fully and recall them quickly during the cybersecurity certifications examination.
Predict The Pattern And Study Accordingly
The test aims to make candidates display essential skills as per the syllabus and then evaluate them. The difficulty of the tests is determined by leading ethical hackers in their field and the criteria for passing.
There are many websites available online that focus on predicting the pattern. While they may not be accurate, they can give you a clue as to how the paper will be structured. Studying according to the pattern, which means giving more attention to areas with higher mark weightage, is how you will pass the exam.
#1 Stay Focused
Staying focused will significantly benefit you, especially if you are balancing a full-time job while studying for the examination. Setting deadlines and completing self-made assignments within that limited time is one of the best ways to make sure you are on track.
These are just a few simple ways you can be well prepared for your exam if you don’t want to take assistance from a training centre or take up a related course. If you have time, you can take up these tips along with learning from an online or offline course as well.
#2 Make A Study Plan And A Study Group
The process of studying and applying for the ethical hacker certification can cost quite a bit. So whether you are going with a training partner or not, you should consider making a study plan. Being disciplined while following this plan will only help you prep properly.
Another method that has a lot of success is making study groups with other candidates applying for the same exam. Exchanging notes and clearing doubts with them is much more helpful than any study material you can buy.
#3 CEH Exam Pattern
While preparing, it is crucial to study the exam while also covering the syllabus. Sometimes knowing is not enough; you have to budget in time to finish the exam with time to spare. The CEH exam offered by the EC council is an MCQ test of 125 questions. The test duration is 4 hours, and all the 125 MCQ questions have to be answered.
#4 Practice Exams
Practice exams are an essential tool when prepping for any exam; they let you know your strong points and your weak points, ensuring you spend adequate time on each. Taking practice tests during this time will also help you see which areas your knowledge is lacking in.
#5 Start Early
Sometimes it just boils down to who is better prepared and smarter and not who has understood the concepts better. The extra time you spend in prep will significantly benefit you when the time comes.
#6 Ask For Help
Do not be afraid to ask for help, especially when you need it. Either from your IT training partner or an online community of aspiring ethical hackers.
Conclusion
Going with Koenig Solutions as your IT training partner is one of the best decisions you can make for yourself. Not only do they provide extensive study material which will help you pass the exam, but through their practical approach, they give you a significant boost to get your career of ethical hacking off the ground. The ethical hacking course offered by Koenig Solutions is specially crafted for those juggling work and trying to be a CEH for maximum knowledge retention.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained includes staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNAIJA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
As a journalist in 2021, the dangers you face are ever-increasing. Without the proper protection from online threats, you risk hackers stealing confidential information, exposing your sources, breaking anonymity, and getting hold of your unpublished stories. You’d be a prime victim for blackmail — or worse.
Some of these dangers can even be extreme and life-threatening. According to UNESCO, 495 journalists were killed between 2014 and 2018, which is an 18% increase compared to the latest 5-year period. In addition, more journalists are being murdered in non-conflict zones than from within conflict zones. Out of all the journalists killed in 2018, 33% were TV journalists, 26% were print journalists, and journalists in online media formed a significant 15%.
Being based in a non-conflict zone no longer assures your safety like it used to. Working online from behind a screen can’t guarantee you’ll be protected either. As the journalism industry trend continues to move from print to digital, it is imperative to your well-being — and that of your colleagues and sources — that you put the appropriate online privacy safeguards in place.
Securing your software and hardware with the right encryption tools can help you keep your confidential files and sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands. It’s also vital to utilize privacy-enhancing software to protect your anonymity and that of all your contacts.
Below are 12 ways you can protect your work, your sources, and yourself in 2021.
#1 Send Messages to Sources on Secure Apps
Whenever you contact someone by text or voice, there’s a chance your messages will be intercepted or that a third-party is listening to your phone call. By using a messaging app with strong encryption, you no longer need to worry about unwanted eavesdropping.
Even though many messaging apps have basic encryption — and some even promise end-to-end encryption — you need to be careful which apps you choose. For example, WhatsApp claims to have end-to-end encryption, but it’s parent company Facebook has an extremely poor reputation for protecting it’s users’ privacy.
Thankfully, there are secure messaging apps available. These apps will ensure safe communication between you and your sources or colleagues.
Signal — Strong combination of end-to-end encryption and extremely limited logs. This was confirmed in a court case, when all the company could produce was the time of account creation and the last log on.
Threema — Threema doesn’t use your phone number but instead creates an anonymous ID for you. This is great for talking to someone whom you don’t want to directly give your number to.
Besides top-of-the-line encryption, the Signal app offers some additional privacy features
While all of the apps above offer end-to-end encryption and other security features, Signal and Telegram require your phone number. While the number is hashed and anonymized, I recommend using a brand new number that isn’t linked to you to sign up.
#2 Secure Your Email to Protect Confidential Files
Emails are mostly likely your main point of communication, aside from instant messaging. Unfortunately, major email providers are still failing to provide standard encryption options. This means your emails can be intercepted and read, especially at the recipient’s end.
If you’re planning to send or receive potentially sensitive data, it is best to sign up to secure an email service. Tutanota is one of the best options available as it encrypts everything — including the subject line, text, attachments, and even your address book.
Use an encrypted email service like Tutanota, which encrypts all aspects of sent emails
Tutanota has a free and paid version, with storage space ranging from 1GB to 1TB.
When emailing someone using a mainstream email provider, Tutanota will send them a message with a link to enter a password and unlock your message. This keeps your emails anonymous in all circumstances. I like Tutanota as it’s constantly being improved by developers and privacy experts, and includes a free mobile client.
Other popular email services like ProtonMail and Hushmail offer many of the same features. However, Tutanota is the only one to encrypt the entirety of an email.
#3 Encrypt All Your Devices
You need to ensure that the devices you and your sources use are encrypted. This includes your computers, tablets, phones, and external hard drives. There are three ways to protect your sensitive data on your devices:
Full-disk encryption (FDE): This is the most secure way to encrypt your device. Your disk will only be accessible with a password or PIN code. If your drive contains unfinished reporting and other sensitive files, this step is vital to take. You can use BitLocker if you’re a Windows user, and macOS users can use FileVault. You can also use BitLocker to encrypt your external drives, such as USB drives and memory cards. macOS users do this via Disk Utility.
Encrypting specific files or folders: You can use open-source software, like VeraCrypt, to encrypt individual files and folders.
Air gapping: This is a basic form of protection where you keep your device disconnected at all times. However, this method is only effective if your system is perpetually offline — this means no Bluetooth or NFC either.
#4 Visit Websites Starting with HTTPS
What’s the difference between HTTP and HTTPS? HTTP doesn’t encrypt data sent between your browser and a website — but HTTPS does. This is essential if you’re interacting with sensitive data, need to log in with private credentials, or are making financial transactions.
An easy way to check if you’re on a secure page is to look at the address bar. Is the site you’re on using “http://” or “https://”? You should also pay attention to the small padlock symbol to the left of the address bar. This can show you if a connection isn’t secure, even if you appear to be on an HTTPS page.
Ensure your browser uses HTTPS and has a secure connection
#5 Use a Private Internet Browser
It’s no secret that many web browsers store your personal, private, and financial information. If you are reporting on a sensitive case, this data could be intercepted by hackers, the government, or other unwanted third-parties. Don’t forget that it’s not just about securing your work, but ensuring you won’t be silenced in other ways. If you have particular online interests that you don’t want others knowing about, such as your porn viewing habits, these could be used against you as blackmail.
Using your browser’s private or incognito mode won’t ensure your privacy, as your ISP and other parties can still track what you’re doing. I recommend combining a private browser with a VPN, or using a more private browser. Here are my recommended private browsers:
TOR is the most private option on this list. It was originally developed by the US Navy for anonymous communication.
TOR encrypts your data and “bounces” it randomly around the world via a network of volunteer relays. Additionally, all your requests are routed via HTTPS (a more secure protocol), no scripts are loaded d (making you harder to track), and you’re permanently in incognito mode (so none of your browsing data is stored). This way, you can research and communicate freely without worrying about being tracked, and even navigate the dark web.
Run by the non-profit Mozilla organization, Firefox has an built-in tracker blocking and is monetized almost entirely via royalties from partnerships and distribution deals. This means none of your browsing data is sold to third-party companies to make money.
I highly recommend using the DuckDuckGo search engine in Firefox, which doesn’t store any data or track your activities. While DuckDuckGo doesn’t present as many search results as Google, it’s still a much safer option for performing anonymous research.
You can also use Firefox’s “Containers” add-on to separate your browsing activity without having to clear your history, log in and out, or use multiple browsers.
Brave is based on Chromium, the open-source code powering Chrome. However, aside from the core code, the two browsers are very different. Unlike Chrome, Brave automatically blocks cross-site trackers, adverts, and upgrades your connection to HTTPS. This helps you remain more anonymous online.
Brave automatically blocks trackers and upgrades your connection to HTTPS
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a global network of servers that offer an anonymous and encrypted internet connection. The encryption hides all your online activities so that it is unidentifiable and no one can trace your browsing activities back to you.
A VPN is extremely useful if you’re reporting from countries where government surveillance is a threat. It helps you work under the radar of the country’s surveillance technology, keeping your traffic and online activities private.
Use a VPN to encrypt your traffic and avoid censorship by connecting to servers around the world
Before connecting to a VPN server, you should first check if the server is hosted in a country that is part of any intelligence-sharing alliances. These agreements may result in VPN providers being forced to hand over your online information to the government.
There are currently three significant alliances involving a total of 14 countries, with some potential third-party contributors.
5 Eyes — USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand
9 Eyes — 5 Eyes Countries plus Denmark, France, The Netherlands, and Norway
14 Eyes — 9 Eyes Countries plus Germany, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, and Spain
Potential 3rd-Party Contributors — Israel, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea
You should also be careful not to connect to servers in countries with potentially hostile governments. For instance, if you’re reporting on a sensitive issue in Russia, you could be targeted by Russian intelligence. If you connect to a server that is physically in Russia, it is possible that the local authorities could be monitoring this server — and hence your online activities.
It’s especially important for journalists to get a VPN with a no-log policy. These providers will not store any information about your online activity. Highly recommended no-log VPNs for journalists are NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark.
Don’t trust free VPNs! Free VPNs are not trustworthy enough for secure journalistic needs. To make a profit, free VPNs are even known to sell user data and give network access to malicious third parties. Make sure you thoroughly research any free services you use before entrusting them with your own valuable data.
You can use cloud services to send large files to your colleagues or sources, especially if they’re geographically far away. However, make sure you use a zero-knowledge cloud provider — this ensures your files will be encrypted before they’re uploaded. A unique password will than be issued to your recipient in order to decrypt the files. Sync and pCloud are 2 zero-knowledge cloud services that provide secure end-to-end encryption, even with there free plans.
#8 Create Strong Passwords
It’s extremely important to use strong passwords, especially for your email accounts. If a hacker gets access to your primary email account, they could quickly use the same password to break into more of your online accounts. However, contrary to popular belief, a password with a random combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols isn’t the strongest option. Neither is it the easiest to remember.
Here’s how you can create a strong password:
Make a long password — make sure it’s at least 11 characters long.
Use random words — you could flick randomly through a dictionary until you have 4+ words and link them together.
Ensure it’s easy to remember — choose several words that have no connection but that you are able to remember.
Use a unique password for each account — don’t repeat the same password twice.
People use weak passwords because they can’t remember more complex — and therefore stronger — passwords. Luckily, you can use a password manager exist to store your login credentials. You’ll only have to remember one “master password” which has the ability to unlock the whole vault. I recommend using KeePass, LastPass, or Dashlane — all of these password managers secure and user-friendly, with free and paid plans available.
#9 Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
If you’re storing sensitive material on one or more of your online accounts, 2FA is vital. 2FA requires two types of authentication before giving you access to your online account. You first enter your normal account login details, and than enter a randomized token send to your physical device. The necessity for a physical device adds a strong extra layer of security. Even if someone gains access to your credentials, they will need this device to actually log in.
Via a physical device like YubiKey or Google Titan. It needs to be physically plugged in or tapped against your phone (if NFC is supported) for verification.
Via SMS or email. This is the least-secure method, but you should still set it up if it’s the only type of 2FA on offer.
While app-based 2FA is the easiest and most widely-supported method, physical 2FA is the safer choice.
#10 Watch out for Basic Dangers to Journalists
These online threats simple to avoid but can cause major issues if you fall victim.
Phishing
Phishing is a cyber attack that tricks victims into believing they are being contacted by a trusted company or service. Here’s an example: You’ve received an email that looks like it’s from Google, which asks you to verify something on there site via a link. When you click the link and log in to the site, a hacker steals your login credentials. Even if you’re using 2FA and enter your code on the phishing website, hackers can use this information to immediately log in to your real account.
This means everything you’ve stored on Google — including Gmail and Google Drive — can now be accessed by the hacker.
You can see an example of a phishing email below:
This phishing email looks like it came from FedEx, but it has some red flags such as the strange email address
While it looks semi-official, you can see that it isn’t addressed to anyone in particular, and the formatting and punctuation are strange. However, the main red flag is the email address, which is clearly not related to FedEx. You still need to be vigilant about what you open and click when receiving emails. Cyber attackers can still appear to use a company’s domain to impersonate a company or one of it’s employees.
Malware
Be careful of accidentally infecting your device with malware when browsing the internet. Journalists should be especially concerned about ransomware, which encrypts your whole hard drive and requests a monetary ransom in exchange. Make sure you use your common sense and avoid visiting potentially malicious websites. Don’t browse non-secure websites and avoid websites inundated with adverts, especially pop-ups. Bookmark sites you regularly return to so you know you’re visiting the real version.
You can use Malwarebyte’s anti-malware software to regularly scan your computer for threats. The free version is enough to detect malware, but the premium version offers useful extras, including ransomware protection and real-time protection.
Regularly scan your machine for malware — Malwarebyte’s free version is a good option
You should also be aware of “malvertising”, which quietly deliver malware via adverts without you even realizing it. Use an adblocker such as uBlock Origin on Chrome or Firefox to protect yourself against this threat.
Keep Your Devices Updated
Keeping your devices updated ensures you’ll be protected from the newest security threats. This advice applies to the operating system on your laptop or computer, mobile devices, and programs or apps you use.
Lock Your Devices and Set up Tracking
Make sure you have some form of lock on your mobile device and computer.Passwords are more secure than fingerprints or facial unlocking. In case you ever need to recover a lost device, you can set up device tracking on Android and iOS devices. You can also activate the option to remotely wipe your devices, in the event that confidential information comes to be possessed by the wrong person or group.
Make sure you can always track your mobile device, so you can locate or remotely wipe it
11. Use an Alternative to Slack in the Newsroom
Instant messengers and collaborative tools have made there way into workplaces around the world, such as Slack or Skype for Business. As journalists, you may be sending sensitive data and files to your colleagues via these channels. You need to make sure they can’t be accessed by unauthorized third parties.
Slack is one of the most widely-used collaboration tools, thanks to it’s user-friendliness. However, Slack does not employ security features such as end-to-end encryption or self-destructing messages.
More secure options are:
Keybase Teams — Similar to Slack, but with end-to-end encryption and a self-destruct feature that completely removes messages from the conversation.
Riot — Built on the open-source Matrix protocol, Riot offers the best implementation of end-to-end encryption plus a user-friendly interface.
Wickr — Includes end-to-end encryption, auto-deletion of messages, and forensic deleting of content from your device.
Semaphor — A zero-knowledge messenger protected with end-to-end encryption and blockchain technology.
#12 Educate Your Sources and Colleagues
The average person doesn’t know how to share confidential information in a secure way — and this includes your sources. It’s important that you show your contacts how they can protect any confidential files and communicate privately with encrypted messages and emails. Even if they already know, it’s in both of your best interests to discuss a standard operating procedure (SOP) before cooperating. Explain to them that under no circumstances should they deviate from your SOP. It’s best to meet in person to avoid leaving any digital footprints — even if it’s just to set up there online safeguards. Remember, even if your own online security is close to perfect, you may be vulnerable if your data leaks through other people. Your online security is only as strong as those in your circle of communication.
Lazy Security Costs Journalists — Protect Yourself Now
Every journalist needs to protect themselves online with strong security tools — from hackers, state-sponsored operatives, and others who actively work to prevent damning stories from being published. Here are the fastest and easiest ways to secure your digital presence immediately:
By taking your first steps towards staying private online, you can keep your stories and investigative pieces secure until they’re ready to be published.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained includes staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNAIJA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
In my previous article, I have talked about some of the facts that you need to know about Digital Marketing generally. In this article, I want to talk about some of the facts that you need to know about Online Advertising. Before I will do that, I would like to talk about some of the terminologies that you would like to come across when you are advertising online.
#1 Advertiser
This is an individual that has a product to sell and he is looking for means or individuals that can create such awareness on his behalf. A good example is Nestle or Nike using online mediums to advertise their products and services.
#2 Publisher
This is an individual that has content and he is looking for ways of monetising their content. They can allow adverts to be placed within their content in order to make money. A good example is a Blogger using Adsense to monetise his blog.
#3 Ad-network
The advertising network has the advertising infrastructure that allows both advertiser and publisher to meet so that the advertisers that need publicity and the publisher that needs money can come together in order to create awareness about products and services for the target audience.
#4 Consumer
He/ she is the bride looking for products and services that will satisfy his or her needs.
What then is Online Advertising?
Online Advertising is an effective form of advertising compared to other forms of advertising. The reason is that more than a billion people have access to the internet across the globe. online Advertising is also good because it is not passive. Customers can interact with it. It allows them to take action immediately.
It also includes email advertising and search engine marketing. mobile advertising, and social media marketing among others.
Here are some of the benefits…
#1 Attract Visitors
One of the major benefits of this form of advertising for users is that it will attract visitors to your website. If you are a blogger pr content creator expecting reasonable traffic on your website and you are relying on Search Engine traffic, it might not come on time.
If you are ready to place banner ads on popular blogs or bid for keywords in order to drive traffic to your website, you will be amazed at the level of traffic that you will have on your website. Online advertising gives you tons of traffic with immediate results.
#2 Convert Visitors
One of the reasons for running online campaigns is to turn visitors into customers. If you are running campaigns just to create awareness, it might not bring some immediate results.
Online advertising can also assist organisations in retaining and growing customers. There are some online customers that will buy your products and they may not necessarily come back for repeat purchases. You can actually run a campaign that will be targeted at this type of customer.
You can offer them mouth-watering offers that will make them engage in a repeat purchase. Running this type of campaign can also increase brand awareness among your target audience as well.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be thrilled to do that because I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained include staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria, and Phillips Consulting among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might disagree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNIGERIA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
One of the most important prerequisites for successful blogging is planning. If you approach blogging with a detailed strategy, this will help you guide your actions and activities when creating, managing, and promoting your blog.
With blogging strategy, you design a plan of where you are and where you want blogging to take you. Regardless if you do blogging as a hobby, or you want to discover ways how to make blogging into a full-time job, creating a blogging strategy will help you with reaching your goals and figuring out the right actions that will help you get there.
#1 Goals
Start with goals. Goals are a necessary part of the planning process. Interestingly, a lot of people start blogging without any goals in mind. They start blogging just for the sake of getting published online, with no plans for the future or any idea on how to implement online marketing to promote this content.
However, goals help you keep everything organized and think about content creation more efficiently. It is crucial that blogging goals are:
• Custom – Define your own goals. Do not follow a pattern or a universal business plan with generic goals. Instead, create goals that are really plausible for your current situation and make sure you can benefit from these goals.
• Achievable – As much as you like for your blog to become an instant hit, there are no guarantees that it will. Instead, be realistic when creating goals. Take into account your current situation, whether you are starting from scratch or you already have a certain number of followers. Think about your competitors and how they are doing. All of this can affect the goals you can potentially achieve.
• Quantifiable – Having goals you can measure gives you an easy option to compare the planned goals and achieved results. These comparisons can help you understand and analyze your performance and find ways to improve your blogging strategy in the future. Numerical quantifiers are an ideal choice. For example, “increase the number of followers by 20%”, or “gain 200 new followers”. You could also add time frame for this goal to be achieved. So your goal would be “gain 200 new followers within four months”.
Goals can also be long-term or short-term, depending on the period you are going to take as a reference. Ideally, you should have both long-term and short-term goals Planning gives your blog a purpose. It helps you determine what you want to achieve, and this enables you to define your story, your content, and find your voice.
#2 Target group
One of the goals of blogging is gaining trust and influence among your blog visitors. You want to establish yourself as an influencer in the industry and create a base of followers. What is going to help with this is defining your target group. You should be as detailed as possible when doing this. Try to narrow down the group of people you are addressing with your content.
As a result, you can create content that is better tailored to your target group. Not only is such content more effective with online users, but it also helps with achieving your goals. Defining your target group also helps you: • Plan the blog topics • Identify ways to monetize your blog • Determine content distribution channel • Explore opportunities for online promotion
#3 Budget
The next step in your strategy is determining the budget. Depending on your blogging goals, depending on how you want your blog to grow, you will need a budget. The amazing thing about blogging is that you virtually need no investment to start doing it, except for your own time. You have free blogging platforms, you can use royalty free photos, joining social media is also free, there are plenty of free tools for bloggers, etc.
However, if you want to get your blog up to speed, it is advisable to consider it an investment. The cost related to blogging which you should plan in your budget include the following: • Hosting and domain name • Premium templates, paid plugins, and other tools • Budget for advertising (search engines, social media, etc.) • Budget for content creation (it is always possible to hire help for proofreading, editing, creation of visual content, etc.)
#4 Content ideas
When you create a strategy, it is advisable to think about content ideas for your blog. This will give you a glimpse into what kind of content you could post on your blog. Since you will also be thinking about your target group, it will help you define content that is tailored based on their interest and expectations.
Start by thinking about content formats first. Here are a few ideas: • How-to articles • Case studies • Ebooks • Guides • Guest posts • Interviews • Lists • Podcasts
• Company news • Videos
Take a look at the image below to find even more ideas when it comes to different content formats that are available to you when blogging:
Also, try to think about topic ideas and try to list at least twenty or even more of them. The best way to get content topic ideas is to do brainstorming. Start by focusing on the keyword(s) relevant to your blog. Expand the list using synonyms or related keywords. Then try to add other phrases to start creating topics. Some ideas are the following: • Top 5 [keyword] • How to [keyword] • 5 Things You Didn’t Know About [keyword] • How [keyword] Are Like [other keyword or phrase] • Why [keyword] Are The New Black • How [keyword] Can Help You [Succeed/Understand Something/Get Better Results, etc.] • 10 Ways to Use [keyword]
You could even use Content Idea Generator or Portent’s Content Idea Generator to help you with new content ideas.
The main benefit of defining content ideas are these opportunities: • Create editorial calendar • Plan promotional and other activities in advance • Start working on blog monetization ideas • Determine if you will be needing assistance with content creation and hire someone on time
#5 Metrics
The final step of your blogging strategy should be the choice of metrics you want to track and monitor. These metrics help you evaluate the success of your blogging strategy, which is why they are an essential asset in a strategy. When you have metrics to monitor, you have the opportunity to see if you can achieve them and if not, how you can improve your strategy. Metrics you should define within blogging strategy should include some (or even all) of the following:
#6 Engagement
Engagement is a metric that shows you how successful you are at engaging your followers. It can be analyzed through a variety of analytics data which include likes, shares, bounce rate, the average session duration, page views, signups, etc.
What this metric helps you conclude is how efficient you are in reaching your audience. It shows you success (or failure) at engaging the audience which helps you redefine your blogging strategy. It might be that you are targeting the wrong audience. You might need better content ideas, or your blog might need a revamp.
#7 Acquisition
This metric includes the data about who is sharing your content and where. Use the blog statistics to see the details about the number of clicks. Which articles are being shared the most? Where does this traffic originate from? Is it organic or social media driven traffic?
The goal of these metrics is to show you where your content is shared and how you are reaching your online users. This can help you find new (and better) ways to promote your content. It can also provide ideas about using paid advertising or expanding your influence on other content distribution platforms.
#8 Conversions
Finally, the last metric you want to focus on is conversions. A conversion is a desired action. While it is most commonly the case that a sale is considered a conversion, with blogging, it might be something different. For example, signing up for a newsletter or downloading free materials can be considered a conversion. This metric should show a potential to grow as your blog grows. The ability to convert your visitors directly proves your influence thus shows you a growing power to persuade online visitors. This is an indicator of success, which is why conversions is the metric you should focus on as well.
Together, all of these metrics help you calculate ROI and directly measure the profitability of your blogging strategy. Use a free tool such as Google Analytics, to access your blog statistics and get the information about these and other metrics that help you evaluate the performance of your blog.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that because I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained include the staff of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, and New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNUGGETS is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
There is a list of things to think about before you are ready to start blogging. These include blogging essentials, i.e., everything you will need to set up and create a blog. Having a list like this one is very helpful to keep everything organized from the beginning and planning your blogging strategy with more success. One of the first things to choose is a blogging platform, after which you will also need the following:
#1 Hosting
Hosting, also called web hosting, is a service that allows individuals and companies to create and make their websites and blogs accessible to the online users. It is an online storage you will use to store your blog data, starting from CMS installation to all the files and images you want to share on your blog.
Platforms like Medium and LinkedIn do not require hosting because you get one when you create an account. It is one of the features these platforms offer to store your data and make it available to the online users. Having access to your own hosting provides much more control and flexibility, which is why a CMS such as WordPress.org could be your choice when choosing a platform. Of course, this hosting comes with an added cost, which can be paid monthly or annually, depending on the hosting provider, and the plan you choose. The best way to make a choice is to explore hosting providers, the features they include and the prices they offer for their plans. Some of the popular hosting providers for bloggers include: • InMotion Hosting • SiteGround • BlueHost • GreenGeeks
#2 Domain name
A domain name is a part of the URL which is used to access the blog. It may or may not match the blog name, but it is generally recommended that it matches the blog name. When you create a blog and host it with the hosting provider of your choice, you will need to provide the domain name of your blog. The complete URL starts with www. and it is followed by the domain name. It ends with a domain extension, which is most commonly .com, but you can choose other extensions such as .org, .blog, .net, etc.
You can use an online tool such as this one to conduct a domain name search and check if the domain name you want is free.
#3 Template
Blog template layout represents predesigned pages that are used to create a blog. You install the template after you install the blogging platform, or you get access to a selection (or sometimes only one layout) if you choose a hosted blogging platform. WordPress is generally known to offer the most extensive selection of blogging templates (also known as themes) including both free and premium templates.
To select a template, you will need to consider the blog layout design. It depends a lot on the type of content you want to create as well as on how you want this content to be presented on the blog. One way you can narrow down the search for a perfect template is by using the filtering feature to sort the results based on: • Layout – Typically used layouts include grid layout, one-column layout, two-columns layout, etc.)
• Features – You can filter templates by features such as editor style, post formats, microformats, full-width template, custom menu, etc. • Subject – Since templates are already pre-designed, they are often tagged based on the subject they would be suitable for. The subject you will be most interested in is a blog, but you can explore other categories if you are creating a niche blog.
#4 Gravatar image
Gravatar stands for Globally Recognized Avatar. It is an image that represents you online, and it appears when you interact with other WordPress blogs. It is a free service which is included as a 40 part of WordPress.com. To have Gravatar on a self-hosted blog, you will need to install a plugin that integrates the service. This option is great for featuring blog authors and enabling them to gain more influence among the blog’s readers. Besides the image, a Gravatar profile can also include: • Name • Other profiles (such as social networks) • Short description
#5 Comments
Comments should also be on the list of blog essentials because they enable you to engage with online readers directly. Some commenting features may already be a part of the core platform, but there are plenty of plugins to enhance the experience and add some new features, such as the option to post a comment with a Facebook account or through a blog commenting hosting service, such as Disqus.
The main benefit of comments is the possibility to increase engagement and encourage visitors to interact with the blog’s author through the comment section. This way you can get feedback, positive (or negative) reviews, additional questions or suggestions from your audience, etc. It can help you with improving your overall approach and blogging strategy.
Having comments does mean that you will have to be monitoring this section and moderate it to make sure you prevent any spam from getting publicly posted in the comment section of your blog. You will also need to devote time to answer any questions you might get in the comments. Since the idea is to engage the visitors, you should make sure to answer those questions promptly.
#6 Mailing list
One of the best ways to monetize a blog is through a mailing list, which is why this is essential for bloggers. Think about your subscribers as your asset. When someone decides to subscribe to your blog, it means that the person is interested in getting more news from you and following your future updates. This person values your opinion and wants to hear from you again.
What this means is that you have the power to influence these subscribers. It all starts with generating trust and reputation, but once you do that, you will discover a possibility to convert those visitors.
Among many different monetization tactics and promotions, email marketing stands out as one of the most profitable strategies in online marketing. It is a strategy with the highest conversion rate. As a result, the benefits you can obtain by having a mailing list are numerous.
#7 Social accounts
Bloggers use many different platforms for promoting their content and reaching online users. Social networks are certainly among the top within this group. Therefore, as a blogger, you should create social media accounts which will represent your blog or you as a blogger. You can also connect social accounts with blogging platform to take advantage of features such as automatic sharing on social media.
Social accounts provide an outlet for you to share content and reach online users. They also offer an opportunity to connect and further establish your reputation. Besides the obvious benefits, social accounts require regular management and implementation of a social media marketing strategy. Hence, you will need to explore this segment of online marketing and find the best ways to combine it with blogging.
#8 Images
Images will enhance your blog significantly. Based on many studies, blog posts with images receive far more clicks, shares, and overall engagement. Images are used to: • Illustrate the most important aspects • Draw attention of the readers
• Divide content into sections • Provide more information about the topic
When using images in a blog post, make sure that: • The images are of high quality • You use right dimensions when adding them to the post • The images are relevant to the topic • You have the permission to use the images to avoid copyright infringements • Optimize the images enabling the search engines to index them Plugins Plugins are installed to the blogging platform, and they add new features which are not a part of the core platform. Among the reasons why WordPress is such a popular platform for blogging, is the fact that the platform offers an extensive number of plugins, both free and premium. These enable blog owners to improve and optimize their blog with advanced features such as memberships, landing pages, contact forms, content optimization, image optimization, backup, migration, lead generation, editorial workflow, etc.
Despite many benefits they can bring to your blog, plugins have drawbacks as well. Plugins may cause security issues for your blog if there is a problem with the code, which is why you should only install reputable plugins. Additionally, the more plugins you install, the slower your blog will become. It does not matter if all of those are reputable plugins, they are still a burden to your platform and may cause pages to load more slowly. This is why it is important to update plugins regularly and to deactivate the ones you are not using.
#9 Unique content
The highlight of your blog is the content you share. The first characteristic of that content should be uniqueness. Search engines do not like duplicate content. You are also failing at providing value to your readers when you copy content from other blogs.
Instead, your focus should be original content that you create with your target group in mind. Think about how you can explore blogging topics and offer even more value on your blog. This way you will gain loyal readership and increase your influence in the online community. Content is also what is going to help you stand out and leverage the potential of blogging.
#10 Bloggers
Building relationships in the online world might be more challenging than in real life, but it still is an essential part of blogging. As you will see, the blogging community is quite vocal and strong, and it offers great potential for learning, exchanging experience, and finding possible collaborations. This is why relationships with other bloggers should be one of the essentials of blogging.
This list of the blogging essentials includes everything that is necessary for you to focus on when first starting out blogging, regardless the niche and the type of platform you will use. Try to create your unique plan including all of these essentials and how you will implement each into your blogging activity from the start.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that because I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained include the staff of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, and New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
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CRMNUGGETS is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
Email marketing has the highest conversion rate of all types of online marketing. When you combine it with affiliate marketing, you can get a very profitable strategy to boost the performance of affiliate marketing.
Merchants
Merchants often use email marketing to get in touch with affiliates. It is a practical way to communicate with them, to send motivational offers, such as increased commissions, extended cookie life, etc. The purpose of these is to increase engagement and to perhaps activate some of the less productive affiliates.
An email is also a great tool for recruiting affiliates to join your program. You can do this recruitment by using your own mailing list, or you could collaborate with another website or blog with a relevant subscriber base that could help with extending your reach and recruiting potential affiliates from their mailing list. When creating an email campaign, it is essential to:
• Make it personalized • Keep it short and concise • Use engaging subject line and CTA • Optimize the email template • Use visual elements • Make sure the email is mobile-friendly.
Affiliates
As said at the beginning of this e-book, affiliates are usually bloggers, influencers, and experts who enjoy a certain following online. They have the audience they can promote affiliate links to, which is why they decide to use this form of marketing to boost their income. One of their primary assets is usually their mailing list. Bloggers work really hard to increase their subscriber base, using various methods for lead generation. They also usually keep these subscribers active through engaging newsletters where they share exclusive content designed for the subscribers.
Part of their email campaigns could be sharing affiliate links. Affiliates choose two ways to distribute affiliate links through email campaigns. Firstly, there are those who simply incorporate those links into a regular newsletter, with or without mentioning that the links are affiliate.
The second option is to have a separate email message for these kinds of links. For example, apart from a regular newsletter with blog updates, the second email message would be focused on promotion and titled differently from a regular newsletter. Some suggestions could be “Products we’ve been loving” or “Promo Tuesday by [BRAND NAME]”.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that because I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained include the staff of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, and New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNUGGETS is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
You’ve got your e-commerce website set up, and you know how to drive traffic to it, but are still stuck with low sales.
How do you fix that? By using online conversion techniques, also known as optimization techniques, you can increase your sales by focusing on the visitors coming to your site rather than the visitors leaving it. Here are some of the best online conversion techniques out there!
The Basics
When it comes to online sales, the conversion rate is key. In order to boost your sales and improve your conversion rate, there are a few techniques you can use.
First, make sure your website is user-friendly and easy to navigate.
Secondly, offer incentives like free shipping or discounts to encourage people to buy from you.
Finally, use strong calls to action on your website and in your marketing materials to encourage people to take the next step.
#1 Adding Trust Seals and Security Badges
One way to increase online sales is by adding trust seals and security badges to your website. This helps build trust with potential customers and show that you’re a credible business.
Plus, it can help boost your search engine ranking. Here’s how to do it: 1. Research which seals and badges are most trusted by your target market.
2. Apply for the seals and badges from the respective organizations.
3. Ensure they are displayed prominently on your site so they stand out.
4. Keep in mind, that this will take time so don’t expect results overnight!
The right seals and badges will only work if people know about them. Consider sending an email to current customers or running a promotion or sale as an incentive for people to visit your site.
#2 Getting Found in Google
If you want people to find your business when they search online, you need to make sure your website appears as high as possible in Google’s search results. This process is called Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
There are many ways to improve your SEO and increase your rank on Google. Keyword research can help a lot because it will show you what words or phrases other people are using to search for businesses like yours.
You then need to optimize the content of your website so that it matches these keywords as closely as possible.
#3 User Testimonials
When it comes to online sales, user testimonials can be extremely powerful. They provide social proof that your product or service is effective and can help increase conversion rates.
If you’re not using testimonials on your website, you’re missing out on a valuable opportunity to boost sales.
Find ways to collect customer reviews, the more the better!
Offer discounts or free products in exchange for reviews so people will have an incentive to give feedback.
These reviews should be displayed prominently throughout your site so they’re easily visible when people are browsing around. You may also want to include them in your newsletters, emails, or ads as well.
#4 The Right Call-to-Action
The first step to getting more conversions is having a strong call to action. This is what tells your visitors what you want them to do, and it should be clear, concise, and actionable.
Once you have a strong CTA, make sure it’s visible on your website. Place it above the fold so visitors will see it as soon as they land on your page. And finally, use persuasive language that urges visitors to take action.
Make every word count in order to convince people who are still undecided or need just one more push. You might even include an offer of some kind (discount, giveaway) in order to entice potential customers into purchasing your product or service.
Urgency encourages visitors to take action before it’s too late, which can lead to more sales for your business.
If you’re running an online sale, consider adding countdown timers that display how much time is left on the sale. If you want to encourage customers to buy now and not wait until later, include phrases like Hurry! or Only X Left!
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be thrilled to do that because I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained include staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria, and Phillips Consulting among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points raised in this article. You might disagree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We would appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNIGERIA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
Please note that inaccurate time estimates will affect the schedule and may frustrate to e team involved in meeting the schedule. By minimising potential adjustments to the schedule, you and other stakeholders will not have to work overtime and you can preserve your reputation as a project manager.
Reserve analysis is the process of identifying and adding extra time that will serve as contingency or management reserves to the duration estimates.
Contingency reserved serves as buffets in recognition of scheduled risks or setbacks.
Management reserves are buffers added to the project tasks for unplanned changes to project scope and cost.
As the project progresses, reserves analysis is used to determine if the remaining or planned buffer is adequate for project completion.
Reserve analysis can run the risk of inflating cost revenue.
Typical example…
A cellphone manufacturing company contracted a vendor to integrate a new telecommunication technology within their current system. The project manager , Bob , has been assigned to manage this new project.
He creates a schedule to complete the project within one month. Bob anticipates that if the technical integration aspects are unavailable, the project will need to be extended for one more month.
Therefore, he specifies this is the project management plan and retains a contingency reserved of one month.
Some managers, upon reviewing the project management plan, advised Bob to add two more weeks as management reserve to the project in order to accommodate the risks that may occur due to unknowns-unknowns.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained includes staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNIGERIA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
Another option for promoting affiliate links is through paid advertising. When using this type of online promotion, it is essential to have in mind the terms of service of the affiliate program, especially those terms that regulate promotion through search engine ads. The following tools can help with paid campaigns:
#1 Google Ads
It is most likely that you will run a search engine paid campaign, which is done through Google AdWords account. The platform enables the creation of ads, scheduling, targeting and analyzing ad performance.
#2 Bing Ads
If you are looking for an alternative that is designed for Bing, use this platform for search engine ads creation and management. Facebook Ads – A lot of social networks offer advertising through the platform which can be done in a form of sponsored posts, or purpose-driven campaigns, such as driving traffic, increasing signups, etc. Using Facebook Ads Manager allows creating, managing, and monitoring of ads on Facebook and Instagram.
#3 Unbounce
The tool enables the creation of landing pages using drag and drop elements, templates, A/B testing feature, form builder and many more features. Since the landing page is usually the page linked to the paid ad, the first one the users will see once they click on the ad, this tool can help with increasing conversions.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that because I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained include the staff of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, and New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNUGGETS is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
Cordi Royal Jelly contains cordyceps Sinensis, gingko leaf extracts, and royal jelly freezing powder. Cordyceps Sinensis is a powerful life-enhancing tonic and an extremely effective and unique herb, it is highly beneficial to the body. Recent observations have shown that cordyceps can improve performance and muscle-building capacity, even though it does not contain any steroidal ingredients. Cordyceps benefit the vascular system by improving blood circulation, and it helps to regulate blood pressure and strengthen the heart muscle.
For many thousands of years, ginkgo has been used in traditional medicine. One of the most well-known effects of ginkgo Biloba is thought to have a strong impact on maintaining normal blood and reducing tissue damage. In addition, it can help maintain optimum levels of oxygen and glucose in the blood. The ability of ginkgo Biloba to influence and increase blood flow extends to the brain as well, and ginkgo is thought to enhance memory by increasing the amount of blood flow to the brain.
The royal jelly freezing powder can lower blood fat, prolong life, protein blood, improve sleep, anti-free radical, and enhance beauty.
Health benefit
Cordy Royal Jelly enhances blood circulation
It helps maintain normal cardiac function
It lowers high blood fat
It prevents and relieves a geriatric disease
It boosts memory
It maintains existing normal cholesterol levels
Promotes normal triglyceride levels
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained include staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNIGERIA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
In this article, we want to talk about the health benefits of the Kedi Blood Circulation instrument called the M04 Blood Circulation Instrument. Persons with underlisted diseases can benefit from foot reflexology and blood circulatory instruments.
Foot massage is a Chinese traditional medicine treasure. There is a famous Chinese saying “Human foot is like a tree root, if the root dies, the tree will die; if the foot is weak, the human will be sick. Chinese regard the foot as the second heart of humans.
Foot massage is self-health care suitable for everyone, even after your first treatment, you will feel rejuvenated and relaxed. The massage will increase blood supply to the rest of the body, it will ease the pressure, and reduce fatigue.
African people always wear sandals, while their feet are being exposed to the sun, rain, dust, bacteria, and viruses and are apt to be hurt, and infected, so the feet need to be taken care of. Our blood Circulatory instrument is specially designed for African people.
Foot reflexology is meant to increase the health and well-being in the whole body. It is based on the idea that all nerve zones begin in the feet, foot reflexology is thought to cure many ailments. By massaging certain areas of the foot, and applying certain pressures and strokes to particular areas, a practitioner of reflex zone therapy can provide many benefits.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavor. Some of those that I have trained include the staff of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, and New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We would appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNIGERIA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent, and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
Here are some of the major benefits of the Kedi Slimming belt:
A slimming belt enhances the burning process of excessive body fat which helps you have a slim body shape together with weight reduction. It would be more effective along with healthy food and sample and a normal lifestyle.
The design for spinal vibration massage way is equal to a basic exercise effect. It is, therefore, most useful for persons that are not able to find time for exercise.
The product could be used in any kind of environment yet it still gives you the joy and pleasure as if you are taking a massage at home for relaxation.
Spiral vibration massage can strengthen the digestion process thereby ejecting the toxic substance that remains in the body. It also promotes blood circulation, endues freshness for the skin and let muscle restore elasticity.
Do you want to have a nice shape? Do you want to lose weight faster? Do you want to flush out and eliminate toxins? Do you want to do more physical exercise without fatigue? Use Kedi slimming belt on those parts that need it most to easily burn calories, enhance metabolism, lose weight, ease muscle pain, and relieves back pain. It is great for the abdomen, waist, back and trips. It also helps to eliminate toxins and cellulite.
M03 Dolphin Massager
Dolphin Massager is Dolphin shaped. Its elegance and light design make it portable for use. The most important aspect of it is that it increases blood circulation, thereby increasing life span and a general sense of well-being. Its other benefits are as follows:
Stress relief: It reduces stress after a hard day’s work.
Sound sleep: It induces sound sleep.
Athletic performance: It enhances athletic performance as it relaxes tight muscles after exercise.
It strengthens the immune system.
It stimulates the digestive system and activates the urinary system.
It normalizes blood pressure.
It relieves muscle aches and banishes fatigue.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained includes staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNIGERIA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
Artemisinin has a strong effect in killing plasmodium. In erythrocytes so as to control malaria outbreak and symptoms rapidly. It is thought to affect the function of the membrane-mitochondria system. Artemisinin works on the ultra-structure of parasites in the erythrocytes phase, including working on the food vesticles. The parasites died rapidly due to losing most of the nutrition and cytoplasm without supplements. The mechanism was unstable organic free radicals or other electrophilic media, which was produced by the peroxide.
Toxicology: Increased fetal absorption was observed in pregnant mice in the reproduction toxicology test. No teratogenic effect was observed.
Pharmacokinetic Artemisinin is rapidly absorbed and extensively distributed in main tissues after oral administration. Human pharmacokinetic parameters: oral dosage 2mg/kg. T max = 1.33h, Cmax=0.71 mgL, t1/2= 1.57hrs. Artemisinin is metabolized and excreted very rapidly.
Indications All forms of malaria, are especially effective for the treatment of falciparum malaria and multidrug-resistant malaria.
Administration Two capsules as a single dose at the time of initial diagnosis and then 6.24 and 48 hours thereafter (total course comprises 8 capsules). The oral dose may be taken with water.
Side Effect No side effects were reported on clinical dosage. Few cases of temporary reticulocyte subsidence are noted.
Precautions Artemisinin is not recommended during the first trimester of pregnancy unless the balance between safety and risk has been evaluated by Doctors.
Storage Preserve in well-closed, light-resistant containers. Store in a dry and cool place.
Package Capsule in blister, 10 capsules.
Validity 3 years. Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained include staff of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, and New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNIGERIA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
The role of the immune system — a collection of structures and processes within the body — is to protect against disease or other potentially damaging foreign bodies. When functioning properly, the immune system identifies a variety of threats, including viruses, bacteria and parasites, and distinguishes them from the body’s own healthy tissue, according to Merck Manuals. In this article, I am going to look at diseases, disorders and function. Follow me as we are going to look at that together in this article.
Innate vs. adaptive immunity
The immune system can be broadly sorted into categories: innate immunity and adaptive immunity.
Innate immunity is the immune system your born with, and mainly consists of barriers on and in the body that keep foreign threats out, according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM). Components of innate immunity include skin, stomach acid, enzymes found in tears and skin oils, mucus and the cough reflex. There are also chemical components of innate immunity, including substances called interferon and interleukin-1.
Innate immunity is non-specific, meaning it doesn’t protect against any specific threats. Adaptive, or acquired, immunity targets specific threats to the body, according to the NLM. Adaptive immunity is more complex than innate immunity, according to The Biology Project at The University of Arizona. In adaptive immunity, the threat must be processed and recognized by the body, and than the immune system creates antibodies specifically designed to the threat. After the threat is neutralized, the adaptive immune system “remembers” it, which makes future responses to the same germ more efficient.
Major components
Lymph nodes: Small, bean-shaped structures that produce and store cells that fight infection and disease and are part of the lymphatic system — which consists of bone marrow, spleen, thymus and lymph nodes, according to “A Practical Guide To Clinical Medicine” from the University of California San Diego (UCSD). Lymph nodes also contain lymph, the clear fluid that carries those cells to different parts of the body. When the body is fighting infection, lymph nodes can become enlarged and feel sore.
PS: To Buy Fortifier Product Boost Your Immune System, Click Here. Please Not that the Product goes for N6,000.00 (Six Thousand Naira Only).
Spleen: The largest lymphatic organ in the body, which is on your left side, under your ribs and above your stomach, contains white blood cells that fight infection or disease. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the spleen also helps control the amount of blood in the body and disposes of old or damaged blood cells.
Bone marrow: The yellow tissue in the centre of the bones produces white blood cells. This spongy tissue inside some bones, such as the hip and thigh bones, contains immature cells, called stem cells, according to the NIH. Stem cells, especially embryonic stem cells, which are derived from eggs fertilized in vitro (outside of the body), are prized for their flexibility in being able to morph into any human cell.
Lymphocytes: These small white blood cells play a large role in defending the body against disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. The two types of lymphocytes are B-cells, which make antibodies that attack bacteria and toxins, and T-cells, which help destroy infected or cancerous cells. Killer T-cells are a subgroup of T-cells that kill cells that are infected with viruses and other pathogens or are otherwise damaged. Helper T-cells help determine which immune responses the body makes to a particular pathogen.
Thymus: This small organ is where T-cells mature. This often-overlooked part of the immune system, which is situated beneath the breastbone (and is shaped like a thyme leaf, hence the name), can trigger or maintain the production of antibodies that can result in muscle weakness, the Mayo Clinic said. Interestingly, the thymus is somewhat large in infants, grows until puberty, than starts to slowly shrink and become replaced by fat with age, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Leukocytes: These disease-fighting white blood cells identify and eliminate pathogens and are the second arm of the innate immune system. A high white blood cell count is referred to as leukocytosis, according to the Mayo Clinic. The innate leukocytes include phagocytes (macrophages, neutrophils and dendritic cells), mast cells, eosinophils and basophils.
Diseases of the immune system
If immune system-related diseases are defined very broadly, than allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis, asthma and eczema are very common. However, these actually represent a hyper-response to external allergens, according to Dr. Matthew Lau, chief, department of allergy and immunology at Kaiser Permanente Hawaii. Asthma and allergies also involve the immune system. A normally harmless material, such as grass pollen, food particles, mould or pet dander, is mistaken for a severe threat and attacked.
Other dysregulation of the immune system includes autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
“Finally, some less common diseases related to deficient immune system conditions are antibody deficiencies and cell-mediated conditions that may show up congenitally,” Lau told Live Science.
Disorders of the immune system can result in autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases and cancer, according to the NIH.
Immunodeficiency occurs when the immune system is not as strong as normal, resulting in recurring and life-threatening infections, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. In humans, immunodeficiency can either be the result of a genetic disease such as severe combined immunodeficiency, acquired conditions such as HIV/AIDS, or the use of immunosuppressive medication.
PS: To Buy Fortifier Product Boost Your Immune System, Click Here. Please Not that the Product goes for N6,000.00 (Six Thousand Naira Only).
On the opposite end of the spectrum, autoimmunity results from a hyperactive immune system attacking normal tissues as if they were foreign bodies, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. Common autoimmune diseases include Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus type 1 and systemic lupus erythematosus. Another disease considered to be an autoimmune disorder is myasthenia gravis (pronounced my-us-THEE-nee-uh GRAY-vis).
Diagnosis and treatment of immune system diseases
Even though symptoms of immune diseases vary, fever and fatigue are common signs that the immune system is not functioning properly, the Mayo Clinic noted.
Most of the time, immune deficiencies are diagnosed with blood tests that either measure the level of immune elements or there functional activity, Lau said.
Allergic conditions may be evaluated using either blood tests or allergy skin testing to identify what allergens trigger symptoms.
Overactive or autoimmune conditions, medications that reduce the immune response, such as corticosteroids or other immune-suppressive agents, can be very helpful.
“In some immune-deficiency conditions, the treatment may be replacement of missing or deficiency elements,” Lau said. “This may be infusions of antibodies to fight infections.”
Treatment may also include monoclonal antibodies, Lau said. A monoclonal antibody is a type of protein made in a lab that can bind to substances in the body. They can be used to regulate parts of the immune response that are causing inflammation, Lau said. According to the National Cancer Institute, monoclonal antibodies are being used to treat cancer. They can carry drugs, toxins or radioactive substances directly to cancer cells.
Milestones in the history of immunology
1718: Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, the wife of the British ambassador to Constantinople, observed the positive effects of variolation — the deliberate infection with the smallpox disease — on the native population and had the technique performed on her own children.
1796: Edward Jenner was the first to demonstrate the smallpox vaccine.
1840: Jakob Henle put forth the first modern proposal of the germ theory of disease.
1857-1870: The role of microbes in fermentation was confirmed by Louis Pasteur.
1880-1881: The theory that bacterial virulence could be used as vaccines was developed. Pasteur put this theory into practice by experimenting with chicken cholera and anthrax vaccines. On May 5, 1881, Pasteur vaccinated 24 sheep, one goat, and six cows with five drops of live attenuated anthrax bacillus.
1885: Joseph Meister, 9 years old, was injected with the attenuated rabies vaccine by Pasteur after being bitten by a rabid dog. He is the first known human to survive rabies.
1886: American microbiologist Theobold Smith demonstrated that heat-killed cultures of chicken cholera bacillus were effective in protecting against cholera.
1903: Maurice Arthus described the localizing allergic reaction that is now known as the Arthus response.
1949: John Enders, Thomas Weller and Frederick Robbins experimented with the growth of poliovirus in tissue culture, neutralization with immune sera, and demonstration of attenuation of neurovirulence with a repetitive passage.
1951: Vaccine against yellow fever was developed. 1983: HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) was discovered by French virologist Luc Montagnier. 1986: Hepatitis B vaccine was produced by genetic engineering. 2005: Ian Frazer developed the human papillomavirus vaccine. Additional resources:
This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice. This article was updated Oct. 17, 2018 by Live Science Health Editor, Sarah Miller.
PS: To Buy Fortifier Product Boost Your Immune System, Click Here. Please Not that the Product goes for N6,000.00 (Six Thousand Naira Only).
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained includes staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNIGERIA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
The human immune system is our protector — its job is to defend the body against diseases and other damaging foreign bodies. This article will look at some of the facts about the immune system generally.
The system works by first identifying alien bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites lurking in the body, and then sends in its troops — white blood cells — to destroy the invaders and the tissues they infect. Here are 11 surprising facts about the immune system.
PS: To Buy Fortifier Product Boost Your Immune System, Click Here. Please Not that the Product goes for N6,000.00 (Six Thousand Naira Only).
Some people have little to no immune system
The 1976 film, “The Boy in the Plastic Bubble,” depicts a person with a deficient immune system, who must live out his life in a completely sterile environment because his body is unable to fight infections. Though the story is fictional, the immune system disease — severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), or “bubble boy disease” — is very real, occurring in about 1 in every 100,000 births.
Bone marrow transplants from a matching sibling donor used to be the only treatment available for patients with SCID, but gene therapy has also recently proved promising.
People long believed fluid imbalances caused diseases
The germ theory of disease, which correctly states that microorganisms cause some diseases, gained prominence in the 19th century. Before germ theory, humorism (or humoralism) dominated Western medical thinking for some 2,000 years. The discredited theory proposed that the human body is composed of four liquid substances, or humours: blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm. A surplus or deficiency in one or more of these humours causes diseases and disabilities. Disease treatments — such as bloodletting — focused on attempting to restore fluid balance.
The earliest known reference to immunity goes back over two millennia
The first vaccine was developed in the late 18th century, but people recognized the importance of immunity long before that.
During the plague of Athens in 430 B.C., the Greeks realized that people who had previously survived smallpox didn’t contract the disease a second time. In fact, these survivors were often called upon to attend to those afflicted with smallpox, according to a 1998 article in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.
In the 10th century, Chinese healers began blowing dried smallpox scabs into the noses of healthy patients, who then contracted a mild form of the disease — and the patients who recovered became immune to smallpox. This practice, which was called variolation or inoculation, spread to Europe and New England in the 1700s.
Disease symptoms are sometimes the result of your immune system doing its job
(Image credit: nray | Dreamstime)
You often hear that bacteria, viruses and fungi are the cause of disease symptoms, but this is technically incorrect. Disease symptoms sometimes occur because your immune system is reacting to the microorganisms.
For example, take the common cold. Your immune system jumps into action when the rhinovirus invades the epithelial cells — cells that line the cavities in the body — in your upper respiratory tract. Immune system chemicals called histamines to dilate your blood vessels and increase their permeability, allowing proteins and white blood cells to reach the infected epithelial tissues. However, the inflammation of the blood vessels in your nasal cavity causes nasal congestion.
Additionally, you may get a runny nose because of the increased fluid leakage from your permeable capillaries, combined with an increased mucus production triggered by the histamines.
Your immune system may suffer from a lack of sleep
A healthy immune system is vital to warding off colds, influenza and other ailments. But research over the past few decades consistently shows that sleep deprivation depresses the immune system’s disease-fighting abilities, such as by decreasing the proliferation of cells called T-cells. Even a single night of poor sleep can impair the immune system by reducing the number of natural killer cells.
What’s more, a 2012 study in the journal SLEEP suggested that vaccines may even be less effective for people who sleep less than six hours a night, compared with people who get a full night’s rest, possibly because of the loss of sleep leads to a dampened immune system response.
Dairymaids helped spark the development of the first vaccine
In the 1700s, variolation had become standard practice in Western society. The technique did still sometimes kill people, but the fatality rate associated with variolation was 10 times lower than that associated with full-blown smallpox, according to a 2005 article in the journal Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings.
PS: To Buy Fortifier Product Boost Your Immune System, Click Here. Please Not that the Product goes for N6,000.00 (Six Thousand Naira Only).
As the century wore on, tales had started to spread that dairymaids couldn’t get smallpox if they previously suffered from cowpox. Moreover, the fatality rate of cowpox was lower than that of variolation.
This information led English physician Edward Jenner to hypothesize that cowpox protects against smallpox and that cowpox could be safely transmitted between people as a deliberate way to protect them against smallpox.
So in May 1796, Jenner pioneered the smallpox vaccine. He found a young dairymaid with fresh cowpox lesions on her hands and arms, took pus from the lesions and inoculated an 8-year-old boy. The child developed mild symptoms, including fever and loss of appetite, but he quickly recovered. A few months later, Jenner injected the boy with goo from a fresh smallpox lesion — the child developed no symptoms.
Autoimmune diseases affect mostly women
An autoimmune disease is a disorder where the body’s natural defences become hyperactive, attacking normal tissues as if they were foreign bodies. Examples of autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease and psoriasis.
But the disorders don’t affect men and women equally, according to a 2008 article in the American Journal of Pathology. Approximately 5 to 8 percent of the U.S. population has an autoimmune disease — about 78 percent of these people are women.
Gut bacteria are the key to a healthy immune system
The human body is home to trillions of bacteria, which outnumber our own cells 10 to 1. In the gastrointestinal tract, these microbes are often beneficial, helping with digestion and synthesizing vitamins B and K. But research has also shown that our gut bacteria help our immune system and keep us healthy in various ways.
For example, beneficial bacteria prevent pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria from taking root in our epithelial and mucosal tissues. And these commensal bacteria also train the immune system to better distinguish between disease-causing pathogens and harmless antigens, which may help prevent the development of allergies.
Similarly, the “good” bacteria may influence the immune system’s sensitivity to antigens, potentially helping to prevent autoimmune diseases, conditions in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues.
The bacteria also produce useful antibodies and trigger the expression of intestinal proteins, which cause the immune system to repair internal injuries.
Sunlight has complex effects on the immune system
PS: To Buy Fortifier Product Boost Your Immune System, Click Here. Please Not that the Product goes for N6,000.00 (Six Thousand Naira Only).
For decades, scientists have known that exposure to sunlight — specifically ultraviolet (UV) radiation — can suppress the immune system’s response to bacterial, viral and fungal infections. To suppress the human immune system, it takes UVR doses that are only 30 to 50 percent of what’s required to cause barely-detectable sunburn, according to a 2010 article in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
At the same time, however, sunlight causes the body to produce vitamin D. A recent study in Nature Immunology suggested that T-cells don’t mobilize if they detect only small amounts of vitamin D in the bloodstream. Additionally, other research suggests vitamin D might induce the production of anti-microbial peptides in the skin — these compounds help defend the body against new infections.
White blood cells only make up a small percentage of your blood
The immune system is constantly at work to protect you from diseases and fight infections you already have, so you might expect that the system’s soldiers — the white blood cells — would make up a large portion of your blood.
But this is not the case. White blood cells account for only 1 percent of the cells in the 5 liters of blood in an adult’s body. But don’t worry, there are more than enough white blood cells to get the job done: In each microliter of blood, you have between 5,000 and 10,000 white blood cells.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained includes staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNIGERIA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
In my previous articles, I have looked at some of the facts that you need to consider when it comes to website hosting. In this article, I want to look at some common mistakes when building an e-commerce website. Follow me as we are going to look at some of these mistakes in this article.
Now the mistakes… #1 Ineffective search engine One of the common mistakes that can be made when building an e-commerce website has to do with poor website navigation which can negatively affect user experience on the website. Most times, when websites categories are poorly arranged, it might lead to a situation where users find it difficult to find what they are looking for. This will negatively affect search engine ranking for such websites.
#2 Poor technical supports At times, e-commerce website developers can also make the mistake of using technology that they will not be able to support. This might also affect the level of support that they can also provide for their users. When you are giving technical to your e-commerce website in-house, you have to make sure that you are using technology that is not difficult for you to support.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz781265blA[/embedyt] #3 Not suggesting related products At times, one of the factors responsible for repeat purchases on e-commerce is when such websites have the capacity of suggesting related products. You have to make sure that the Algorithm used in the development of the website is able to suggest related products to users. This will increase the conversion rate on your website and boost the organization turnover at the end of the year.
#4 Complex checkout process One of the major reasons for cart abandonment has to do with the complex checkout process. Most times, when it becomes so difficult for customers to pay for products or find products that they are looking for, they will definitely have no option other than to abandon the website and look for another website where they can easily find the product that they are looking. This might force them to abandon product(s) that they are planning to purchase on your website.
#5 Lazy loading Also, it is a well-known fact that an average web surfer is impatient when it comes to website loading time. Some have argued that a good website should load in five seconds. Therefore, no matter how heavy a website is, you have to make sure that your website loads on time. This will definitely increase the conversion rate on the website.
#6 Poor categorization Another mistake that can be made when it comes to e-commerce website development has to do with a poor categorization of your website. At times, when products are not properly grouped on a website, it may lead to a situation where some products are not discovered. You have to make sure that products are properly grouped so as to increase the conversion rate on your website.
#7 Non-compatibility In one of my articles where I talked about website testing, I actually mentioned it that you should try and open your website from all available browsers and make sure that they are loading properly. You should also pay attention to how your website loads on mobile phones. This will help you to increase users experience most especially for mobile users.
#8 Un-enlargeable image Also, the use of small images is good for websites and e-commerce websites. You need to be conscious of the type of image that you are using on your website. You have to make use of small images that can be enlarged so that users can be able to see all the visible features of your products before they actually purchase that product.
#9 Inconsistent product information Also, you should understand that one of the reasons why users abandon carts is due to incomplete and inconsistent product information. If users are not able to get all the required information that they need in order to decide on whether to purchase a product or not, they might be forced to abandon that product. You need to make sure that information is short, simple and complete.
#10 Un-highlighted benefits Also, one of the other reasons why people abandon carts on e-commerce is when the website owner fails to highlight some of the benefits of buying that product. You have to state the benefits that your customers stand to get when they purchase that product from you. If some of these benefits are not highlighted, it may force your customers to abandon their carts.
#11 No visible contacts Another, mistake that is common to e-commerce website owners is when the contact details of the owners are hidden from users. Your users are more interested in what happens when there are issues with the products that they are purchasing from you. If users are not convinced about your identity and your genuineness, they might be forced to restrict you from transacting business with you.
#12 Clumsy pages Also, when it happens that you did not create a separate page for each of the products that you are selling, you may be missing out on customers. You need to ensure that each product has a page. The Page should also explain all that customers have to know about that particular product. This will sustain customers’ interest in your products and services.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained includes staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNIGERIA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
Do you remember the last time you wanted to try something new, and you did not check its reviews on Google before going for it? That’s the kind of impact Google reviews have on us. We could be trying out a new salon, a new restaurant, or just the around the corner AC service person; checking out the Google reviews has become a part of our lifestyle.
As a brand, it becomes crucial to have a good amount of Google reviews so that potential customers would choose you over your competitors. But if you want to stand out in this competitive world, embedding Google reviews to your website has to be the best strategy! Want to know how? Let’s see some of its advantages.
#1 Build Social Proof
The idea of social proof is a basic online user behaviour where people copy others’ actions. When a person sees a group of people doing something in the digital space, they would do it too. It’s almost like following the herd.
Something similar happens with the Google review widget. When you embed the Google review widget on your website, and your customers see that you are giving importance to your customers’ views by giving them a place on your website, they feel like giving a review for you too. It helps you generate more Google reviews for your website, creating better social proof possibilities.
Google reviews widget allows you to embed all your Google reviews on your website. By doing so, you make them accessible to the visitors bringing authenticity and transparency to your website. While your visitors explore your website, the Google reviews act like the perfect trust-building factor so that they don’t feel hesitant before investing in your brand.
Not just that, these Google reviews give them a better perception about your brand and spend more time on your website, as they find it worth spending time on.
#3 Create Brand Awareness
Reviews are presented online to create more brand awareness and reach as compared to other marketing strategies. When you get more reviews from your consumers, their other connection learns about your brand, which increases your reach.
Embedding Google reviews widget on the website boosts your website traffic. Positive reviews and feedback enable you to earn consumers’ trust and create brand awareness.
#4 Enhance Conversion Rate
As an e-commerce brand, boosting conversion rates is the number one priority. If we talk about it from a consumers’ perspective, then hundreds of e-commerce brands have risen, so it has become difficult to choose, as the number of frauds is rising too.
In that case, consumers seek reviews before making any purchase decisions online. When you embed the Google Reviews widget on your website, it gives your website visitors a reliable source right where they are, eliminating their review-searching process.
It enables your potential customers to make confident purchase decisions. It also boosts your conversion rates and encourages them to make more purchases with you, and write a positive google review for your brand.
#5 Improve SEO Ranking
Google reviews play a crucial role in SEO ranking. Your ranking might get affected, depending upon the number of searches and the consumers’ purchases. Embedding Google reviews widget on the website becomes a positive decision factor for your visitors, boosting your conversion rates.
Search engines like Google rank a website higher, based on the maximum searches, good reviews, and receiving constant visits by the users with higher engagement. That’s how you gain a higher SEO ranking with the Google reviews widget on your website.
#6 The Impact Of Negative Reviews
Statistics show that when consumers want to see the real picture of a brand, they would usually check out the ones with 3.5 ratings or negative reviews. As a brand, it is important to address the negative and average reviews as much as you focus on the positive ones.
When you ignore the negative Google reviews, it shows an ignorant image. When you reply to a negative Google review and resolve the problem if the customer has mentioned any, it gives a mature image to your brand.
Display a blend of all your reviews with the Google review widget as it will build authenticity and make your website a reliable source for the consumers.
#7 Strengthen Customer Loyalty
Internet users love it when they are heard, and their views are given value. When you embed the Google reviews given by your customers on your website as a Google review widget, and they come across it, they feel important.
They realize how important their views are for you, and they start liking your brand more than other brands. They also tell their friends and family about you, making them your loyal customers. Customer loyalty ensures that each time the loyal customers look for a product similar to your products, they will always choose your brand.
Let’s Call It A Wrap!
Now that we have reached the end of this blog, we hope that you know the importance of the Google review widget. Also, the amazing advantages it brings in if you embed it on your website. So? What are you waiting for? Collect all those Google reviews and embed them on your website as a Google review widget and avail all the above-mentioned advantages.
3 Best Marketing Practices to Make your Target Audience Familiarize with your App
Social media apps are considered one of the best ways to get the attention of your target audience. Businesses need to think about making use strides, and there is nothing better than making a mobile app work for you. But there are second factors that need to be considered for making it work. And that is why businesses must know about the following process before launching their website. The process that I am about to discuss is all about using the best marketing practices and strategies to make your app work big time. And your intended target audience is aware that your app is also available on Google Play and the App Store.
#1 Teaser Campaign
This is how it all starts. Envision what you can offer to your target audience regarding a teaser campaign that can get their interest. You can provide two-three teaser campaigns or even more, and it all depends upon the nature of the app and your target audience. You can start the teaser campaign several months ago, some weeks ago or just a few days. Again, it all depends on your marketing plan and how you want to make it work. The timing of the teaser campaign can also work for you and can be critical in some cases. For example, think about what you can achieve with a marketing campaign to introduce a fizzy drink in the UAE? The timing of the launch must be during the summer months so that it can entice the target audience to no end. And in this case, a long teaser campaign of several months will not be feasible. Most people will not remember your campaign as it is more suited for new software. or the launch of a new business.
#2 Consistency in Design
This is one of the biggest mistakes that designers and even app developers commit. And the reason is that the business owners try to be different in their approach when it comes to the design of the map. In their bid to develop a unique design, they shed consistency and come up with an app that looks different on every screen and menu option. This can be disastrous for the design as consistency is the key to success. The colour of your app, design and most importantly, the theme should be consistent across the app. Do not try to overdo things and some aspects need to be considered as it is. Do not commit mistakes that can run your app completely. Instead, it is always a good idea to consult a reputed mobile app development company UAE that can offer you great support and guide you.
#3 Marketing
Finally, when it comes to marketing, this is where you have to be on your toes. After all the hard work and spending a fortune on getting the app, all your efforts will go in vain if you fall behind here. Marketing an app is unlike any other product or service because initially, you have to optimize it on the Google Play and App Store. If your target audience is not familiar with your app, there is no way that you can expect a large number of people to use your app.
The use of social media platforms and apps is an excellent way to do that. While paid advertising on this medium will give you results very quickly, this can be pretty expensive for small businesses and startups. That is why you can use the communities and different pages on Facebook and Twitter to promote your app.
You can also use WhatsApp in other messaging apps to your advantage by sending bulk messages. But again, do not go overboard, as these messages can easily be termed spam. Give it your all to make things in your favour.
Over To You
Do you have any experience marketing your app after coming up with a great product? Please share it with the other readers of this blog. You can also ask any question or offer your valuable feedback by using the comments section below.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained includes staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
Fact Check Policy
CRMNIGERIA is committed to fact-checking in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner. Therefore, if you’ve found an error in any of our reports, be it factual, editorial, or an outdated post, please contact us to tell us about it.
In my previous articles, I have talked about some of the factors that you need to consider when you have to host your website. I have also talked about some of the elements of a good web design. In this article, I would like to talk about fifteen guidelines for creating effective web content. Follow me as we are going to look at that in this article.
Here are the guidelines…
#1 Clear and simple language
When you are writing your content for publishing, you have to make sure that you are writing in a simple and clear language. You should avoid the use of ambiguous words that will make it difficult for your user to understand the message that you are trying to pass across. You need to ensure that you also make use of short sentences when you need to write your article.
#2 One paragraph. One idea
Also, when you are writing your content, please you need to ensure that your ideas are not jammed together. You need to make sure that it is only one idea that is been discussed in one paragraph. This will ensure that the whole concept sank into the mind of your audience. Doing this will prove to your reader that you know what you are talking about. It will allow them to stay longer on your website.
#3 Descriptive subheadings
Also, if you want to write great online content, you need to adopt the use of descriptive subheadings that tells your users what a particular paragraph is talking about. This will enable the spiders to know what a particular paragraph is talking about. But you have to really indicate it that it is a subheading by using H2 or H3 headers.
In addition, if you are creating great web content for your website, you need to ensure that important words are highlighted and bolded so that users can reckon with those words. This will allow your users to know the key takeaway from a particular article. It will also allow the major points of a particular article to sink in the mind of your audience.
#5 Use Descriptive link text
Also, when you are trying to create online web content, you need to include links that relate to your previous articles. It is also ideal for you to link to articles that are outside your blog or website. Those links should be descriptive enough and they should be linked to articles that are similar to what is highlighted. This will help Spiders to understand your blog better. It will also reduce bounce on your website.
#6 Left Align Text
By and large, when you are writing your content, you need to ensure that your articles are aligned from the left to the right side. That seems to be the normal way for most languages. This also goes with the natural eye movement when people are reading content on websites. This will definitely assist spiders in understanding your content better.
#7 Visual alignment
Also, when you are creating your web content, you need to ensure that graphics are added in order to drive home your points. Adding graphics will also assist in conveying the messages that you are trying to pass across to your target audience but you need to ensure that the texts and the graphics work together. The two must be conveying the same message.
#8 Proper structure element
Also, when you are presenting your online content, you need to make sure that you are using a document structure that will make your article easier to understand. You need to make sure that the paragraphs are well arranged so that it will be easy for your users to follow your article.
#9 Use natural-sounding language
Also, when you are creating your online content, you need to make use of a natural-sounding language. You must write the content as if you are explaining to someone that already knows nothing about the topic being discussed. You must be persuasive enough when you are trying to present the idea to your target audience.
#10 Be direct with the audience
Also, when it comes to creating great content, you need to be direct with your audience. There is no need for you to cajole your audience. You need to try as much as possible to let them know that you understand their problem and you have what it takes to solve their problem. You must be able to convince your audience that you are an authority when it comes to resolving issues that have to do with your customers.
#11 Creating Tables
Also, as far as your customers and readers are concerned, you need to create tables that transform with different browsers. I have said it one of my articles that you should be mindful of using tables. You need to make sure that your tables are browser responsive. It should remain intact when that table is opened from different browsers.
#12 User interface
Also, you have to ensure that the user interfaces are accessible. When you are creating content, you need to make sure that your tabs and other elements that you need to access when you are on that particular page. If it is a website that people have to make payments to, you need to ensure that the payment buttons are available even on mobile phones.
#13 Page activation
Also, you need to make sure that you design device-independent page elements that can be activated through a variety of input devices. You can design your website to open different pages or contents based on the type of device that the user is using to access the content.
#14 Temporary accessibility solutions
Also, when it comes to accessibility and the design of your content, you need to make sure that you create temporary accessibility solutions for your content. That means, if it happens that the main content that the user is trying to access is not available, there should be a particular content that will be made available to users while they are waiting for the actual content to open.
#15 Contextual information
Also, you need to include contextual information that will allow your users to understand your content better. You should not present your content as if you are writing in parables. You need to ensure that you include examples and illustrations that will allow your readers to understand your content better.
11 Guidelines For Designing A Good Website
In my previous articles, I have looked at some of the facts that you need to consider when you are choosing a web hosting site. In this article, I want to talk about some of the guidelines for designing a good website. Follow me as we are going to look at that together in this article.
Now the guidelines….
#1 Reputable websites
When it comes to designing a good website, you need to take time to examine other reputable websites and see what they are doing better. It is just like the saying that if you want to be successful in any area, you need to have a mentor. So also, if you want to have a good website design, you need to take time to study other reputable websites and emulate what they are doing.
#2 Attractive home page
One of the factors that you need to consider when it comes to building a reputable website is that you need to have an attractive Home page. You need to understand that most of the traffics that are coming to your website will be coming to your Home Page. If your Home page is disorganized, it is unlikely that the visitors will take time to check what you have on other pages.
#3 Appropriate colours
At times, when you have a colour riot website, you are going to blur the eyes of your readers. In order to drive traffic to your website and sustain your readers, you need to make sure that you have a colourful website. You need to ensure that you choose colours that complement your brand. Don’t just use colours that do not add up when you are creating a website.
#4 Necessary information
Also, you need to make sure that all the necessary information that you need to convince your audience to buy your product is placed on your Home Page. Just like I said, most of the readers will not go beyond your Home Page, That is why you need to ensure that your Home Page contains as much meaningful content as possible.
#5 Division
Also, when it comes to the arrangement of contents on your website, you need to divide the content into categories and subcategories. You need to ensure that it is very easy for your users to find what they are looking for. This will ensure that your customers are not distracted. They should be able to locate what they are looking for.
#6 Informative description
Also, when it comes to marketing your products and services, you need to add short and descriptive information about the products and services that you are trying to sell to your target audience. The information must not be too long in order not to bore your audience. Just put enough information that the prospect needs in order to decide whether they needed that product or not.
#7 Easy navigation
There is a need for you to provide easy navigation on your website. You need to divide your product into categories and subcategories. You also need to provide a search box that will allow your prospect to search for products that are not covered in your categories and subcategories. This will allow your readers to quickly locate products and services that they are looking for.
#8 Keep things simple
Also, when you are designing a great website, it is not about how sophisticated your website is, you need to learn to keep things simple. It is not able how colourful a website is, you have to try as much as possible to ensure that the website is useful. Once a website is useful and can provide what users are looking for, you can be sure that they will stick longer on that particular website.
#9 Small and simple graphics
Also, you need to make sure that you are using small and simple graphics. When the images on your website are too big then it will slow down the loading time of your website. Please make sure that you reduce the size of the images. This will allow having a compatible website that will load well across different browsers.
#10 Avoid unnecessary features
Also, when it comes to designing a website, the design of a website is not a moment for you to show that you are skilful in website design, you need to make sure that you only add features and plugins that are needed to perform functions on the website. Please do not add any skills.
10 Advantages Of Content Management System
When blogging started, it was difficult for many to blog because you need to have a working knowledge of HTML and other programming languages before you can code. That has become a thing of the past with the advent of WordPress and Blogger and other content management applications. In this article, I want to talk about some of the advantages of a Content Management System. Follow me as we are going to look at that in this article.
What is Content Management System…
A content management system is a system that is used to manage the content of a website. This is defined as the process of moving the web content to all phases onto the production site. To effectively use a content management system, we need to make use of Content Management Applications.
Content Management Application
Content Management Applications allows the content manager or author, who may not know HTML to manage the creation, modification and removal of the content from a website without the expertise of a webmaster.
Content Delivery Application
Content Delivery Application uses Content Management Application information and compiles that information for updating the website.
Also, you need to know that Content Management System can also provide tools for one to one marketing. They will allow the content developers to use tools that are available in the application to reach out to prospective customers with products and services that are likely to be interested in.
#1 Small commitment
I don’t know if you have ever created a website? I need to ask how long it takes you to develop that website or post. If you check a singular post on the website and you try to look at the programming version of that post, then you will appreciate what WordPress has done for you. I have seen a time that I have spent less than 45minutes creating a post. If I have had to write those posts in HTML, I would have spent several days creating those posts. It is content management that makes it easier.
#2 Contribution
Also, Content Management System also provides simple desktop tools that allow more people to contribute to your content. With just clicking a few buttons, it is now relatively easy for more authors to contribute to your website. It is also very easy for your users to share your content. There is also a provision of tools that allow enthusiastic readers to share your content as well.
#3 Well defined approval process
Also, content management systems and applications always have a well-defined approval process for content. It is not all contents that are posted automatically. You can define and dictate what happens to each of the contents that you have posted on your website.
#4 Large contributors
There are times that you may have many authors contributing to a blog or website. Without a Content Management System, it will be difficult to manage those content effectively. A good content management system will allow you to manage content from multiple authors such that the editing of content from a particular author will not affect other blog authors.
#5 Blog look
Also, a content management system and application will allow you to change the look and feel of a website at once without having to go from one page to another page. This will allow to collectively add new features to the design of a website through the use of plugins and other elements without going to the source code of the website.
#6 Consistent feel
As your blog or website grows, there are some elements on the websites that you will have to adjust in order to continue to meet the need of your growing audience. Having a good Content Management System at your disposal will allow you to have a look and feel on the website that is consistent with the brand image of the entire enterprise. This will allow you to maintain your brand reputation without breaking the bank.
#7 User experience
Due to the formidable marketing tools that come with the content management system, you will be able to gauge your user experience and determine how users will react to any of the changes that you are trying to make on your website. It will allow you to change one element at a time and determine how that change(s) will affect your users. This will help you to determine whether such changes should be made permanent or not.
#8 Reusability
Also, CMS will also contribute to content reusability. It will really assist the website owner to use old content for present-day marketing efforts. Let’s say that scenario has changed after you last used that content, CMS will allow you to re-use and edit that content in order to direct them towards new marketing goals.
Action Point PS: If you would like to have an online course on any of the courses that you found on this blog, I will be glad to do that on an individual and corporate level, I will be very glad to do that I have trained several individuals and groups and they are doing well in their various fields of endeavour. Some of those that I have trained includes staffs of Dangote Refinery, FCMB, Zenith Bank, New Horizons Nigeria among others. Please come on Whatsapp and let’s talk about your training. You can reach me on Whatsapp HERE. Please note that I will be using Microsoft Team to facilitate the training.
I know you might agree with some of the points that I have raised in this article. You might not agree with some of the issues raised. Let me know your views about the topic discussed. We will appreciate it if you can drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
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